The second edition of the Canary Islands Mini Chemistry Olympiad, organized by the Official College of Chemists of the Canary Islands yesterday Tuesday, June 3, in the Chemistry Section of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of La Laguna, with the participation of 3rd year ESO students from Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
The final test brought together more than 60 students selected from a large number of applications, double the participation of the previous year. During the morning, they tested their knowledge, reasoning skills, and observation abilities in a series of exercises specifically designed to stimulate scientific curiosity and logical thinking.
The opening ceremony featured a speech by the Vice Dean of the Chemistry Department, Elena Pastor, who presented the Chemistry and Environmental Science degrees offered at the University of La Laguna to the students, highlighting the educational and professional opportunities these degrees provide. María Candelaria Sánchez Galán, Dean of the Official College of Chemists of the Canary Islands, welcomed the participating students and thanked them for their enthusiasm for science.
Visit to one of the laboratories.
After the exam, the participating students had the opportunity to tour the Chemistry Department's facilities, including several teaching and research laboratories from different departments, as well as the library and other departmental areas. This visit allowed them to learn about university life and the key role that chemistry plays in various sectors of society.
The closing ceremony included an awards presentation, which recognized the talent and effort of the highest-scoring students. The first prize was awarded to Carla Chiarelli Bethencourt, while the second and third prizes went to Mario Regalado García and Ángel Darío Fernández González, respectively.
During the closing ceremony, the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences, María del Mar Afonso, thanked the College and the other collaborating institutions for their involvement in organizing the Mini-Olympics, and stressed the importance of bringing science and structured and critical thinking closer to young people, especially "in these times marked by hoaxes and fake news, where scientific training is key to building a freer and more conscious society.".
This activity, sponsored by the Official College of Chemists of the Canary Islands, has also had the collaboration of the University of La Laguna, the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports of the Government of the Canary Islands and the Canary Islands Territorial Section of the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry
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